GUEST COLUMN: Why natural diamonds will always be more beautiful than lab-grown

Those shiny odd-shaped pebbles have always fascinated me, even as a child. Rough diamonds, as they are known in their natural pre-polished form, really are things of beauty and the point where their uniqueness and individuality is most evident.

It has always struck me as odd though, that while rough diamonds clearly display their uniqueness and individuality, through the modern manufacturing and polishing process, we seek to hide many of those unique attributes.

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Most polished diamonds larger than 0.5ct are sent to grading laboratories and will carry a certificate that defines them by their 4C’s, cut, symmetry and polish. Increasingly, polished diamonds are purchased and viewed on online platforms on the strength of the certificate alone thereby losing any sense that the diamond is rare, unique and above all natural. It feels to me that we have homogenized something that is inherently so individual.

That the rarity, individuality and uniqueness of diamonds have translated into value and a desire to own them is no surprise. That we are seeing an increase in production of lab-grown substitutes to replicate this natural wonder, should also come as no surprise. Want a 1.00ct G, VS2, triple excellent? Not a problem, there’s a facility that can literally make one for you.

We are led to understand that it is impossible to distinguish a natural diamond from a lab-grown one when both are sitting side by side with the same attributes. That may well be the case. But what we are losing in this discussion is the fact that even in their polished form, no two natural diamonds are the same.

We are looking at a future where provenance and blockchain platforms will provide consumers with the ability to not only know where their natural diamond has come from but also to identify its unique and defining characteristics.

As a jewellery designer, I look forward to the day when the story of a piece of Satta Matturi Fine jewellery is not just about the influence and creativity of the design but also about the origin and uniqueness of the diamonds that were used to create it.